A new short anime project titled Matsuken Anime is set to launch on YouTube in the summer of 2026, based on the signature Matsuken Samba songs performed by Japanese actor and singer Ken Matsudaira. The project reconstructs Matsudaira's public persona, particularly his iconic golden kimono image, transforming it into a modern character IP for a series of short animated episodes. The central narrative is designed to be bright and positive entertainment, focusing on stories where good triumphs over evil and addressing the feelings of frustration that people experience in modern daily life. The main character is this animated version of Ken Matsudaira himself, leveraging his larger-than-life stage personality. The anime is a production of a committee that includes the renowned animation studio Tatsunoko Production, known for classics like Speed Racer and Gatchaman, alongside Hakuhodo Products, Saniki Promotion, Kayac Akiba Studio, Tohan, and Hakuhodo Casting & Entertainment. The project originates from Matsudaira's musical work; the first song, Matsuken Samba I, was created in 1992, while the more widely recognized signature tune, Matsuken Samba II, was created in 1994 and famously performed at the end of stage versions of the television series Abarenbo Shogun. The anime's promotional video was first shown at the Tatsunoko Production booth during the AnimeJapan 2026 event at Tokyo Big Sight in late March.